[Kit Up] Marine Corps Systems Command is equipping Marines with the updated M2A1 .50-caliber machine gun, increasing Marines’ survivability and lethality on the battlefield.
The M2A1 is an upgrade to the legacy M2 machine gun currently used by Marines across the Corps. The updated M2A1 is easier and safer to use due to three major changes: a quick-change barrel, fixed headspace and timing, and a flash hider that reduces the weapon’s signature by 95 percent at night, according to a recent Marine Corps Systems Command press release.
"M2s are the most reliable heavy machine gun," said Maj. Harry Thompson, team lead for General Purpose Weapons at MCSC. "The improved M2A1 makes Marines more lethal because they’re able to get rounds down range quicker. Marines will have better mobility because of the fixed headspace and timing--it’s much quicker to move the gun from position to position and put it back into action. Because they’re less exposed, Marines will have better survivability too."
The current M2 requires Marines to manually set headspace and timing before firing, after assembly, and after required barrel changes when the barrel becomes extremely hot from high volumes of fire. Headspace is the distance between the face of the bolt and the base of the cartridge case when it is fully seated in the chamber. Timing is the adjustment of the gun so that firing takes place when the recoiling parts are in the correct position for firing. |